James 1:5–6
Whoever lacks wisdom should ask God, who gives generously
Study it word by word5And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproaching, and it will be given to him.
6But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed about.
In its context
3knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4And let perseverance have its complete work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.
…
7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Its words in the original
- λείπεταιleipetai· lack
Lack, be lacking; in the passive, be in need, fall short.
- σοφίαςsophias· wisdom
Wisdom.
- αἰτείτωaiteitō· ask
Ask, ask for.
- διδόντοςdidontos· give
Give.
- θεοῦtheou· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- ἁπλῶςhaplōs· generously, simply
Simply, without reserve; generously.
- ὀνειδίζοντοςoneidizontos· insult, reproach
Insult, reproach someone.
- πίστειpistei· faith
Faith: firm trust in God; also faithfulness.
- μηδὲνmēden· no one, nothing
No one, nothing.
- διακρινόμενοςdiakrinomenos· judge, doubt
Distinguish, judge between two things; in the middle voice, doubt, or dispute.
- ἔοικενeoiken· be like
Be like, resemble.
- κλύδωνιklydōni· waves
Waves, rough water.
- θαλάσσηςthalassēs· sea
Sea; also a large lake, such as the Sea of Galilee.
- ἀνεμιζομένῳanemizomenōi· be driven by wind
Be driven by the wind, be tossed.
- ῥιπιζομένῳrhipizomenōi· be tossed
Be tossed, blown back and forth.